Presently, recharging the batteries of an autonomous mobile robot is a difficult and disruptive event. In one procedure a charger apparatus is simply wheeled out to the robot wherever it is or a power supply cable may be deployed to it. Another approach is to employ a beacon at the charge station so that the robot can home in on it. However, the homing action is only achievable when the need for a charge occurs when the robot is in line of sight of the beacon on the recharge station. Even in those cases where the robot can find its way back by line of sight beacon, it is still often necessary for it to be manually connected with the charger apparatus.